


brighter this time

by neyvenger (jjjat3am)



Category: Football RPF
Genre: Arsenal FC, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-29
Updated: 2016-02-29
Packaged: 2018-05-24 01:16:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,088
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6136364
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jjjat3am/pseuds/neyvenger
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jenko's getting obsessed with this social media thing now. Chambo pouts.</p><p>or</p><p>Injured Carlamberlain hang out, are dumbasses.</p>
            </blockquote>





	brighter this time

**Author's Note:**

  * For [mydrunkjoey](https://archiveofourown.org/users/mydrunkjoey/gifts).



> This started with Joey and I yelling about [this picture](https://twitter.com/carljenkinson/status/704232790733168640) that Jenko tweeted this morning (he's also got a new instagram and is tweeting lots more than usual). We started wondering about 'oh, maybe they're hanging out' which turned into 'WHAT IF THEY WOKE UP TOGETHER'. And Jenko just posted a picture with Chambo's dog so whatever they are, they're definitely hanging out (unless Jenko kidnapped the dog to get Chambo's attention, which...is another fic entirely).
> 
> Title is from the Years&Years song, Eyes Shut.

  
  


 

Chambo wakes up with the sun in his eyes and the loud clacking of a keyboard in his ear.

  
  


“Why do you have your phone sounds turned up so loud?” he murmurs, burying his head further into Jenko’s shoulder. His knee twinges and he mentally cusses it out, like he does every morning. He’d slept on it wrong again too, and the pain meds on the bedside table suddenly seem a long way away. Sometimes he can get Jenko to stretch his absurdly long arms and get them for him, but on this particular morning, Jenko is too busy with his phone of all things. 

  
  


“I need to know that the keyboard is working,” Jenko says, but he also takes one hand off his phone to rub it briefly down Chambo’s back. He’s only got one of Jenko’s cotton shirts on and it feels absurdly good through the thin material.

  
  


“Don’t you know when, you know, letters appear?” It’s startling how many times Jenko says things that have absolutely no common sense behind them.

  
  


“I’m scrolling through my twitter feed,” Jenko says, with the air of a man who’s heard those words used in that order before, but hasn’t quite figured out what they mean.

  
  


“You haven't used your twitter in ages, Jenko.” 

  
  


“Well, I'm using it now.” 

  
  


“To post pictures with ridiculous captions.” Jenko’s turned on the phone camera and is aiming it somewhere over at the windows, in a shot that’s so hipster it’s probably from an independent coffee shop.

  
  


“I’ll have you know my captions are perfectly profound. Now, budge over, your knee is in the shot.”

  
  


“I'm injured!” Chambo snorts indignantly, but shifts a little so his head is lying on the pillow instead of on Jenko’s arm. He stubbornly leaves his leg where it is, namely thrown over Jenko’s right.

  
  


“Cover it with a blanket then.” Chambo pouts, but does it. He’s ended up stealing all the covers overnight again.

  
  


“Oh, ye of tender heart.” 

  
  


“I'll kiss it better later, now hush.” The phone clicks. Once, twice, three times. How many pictures of his window does Jenko even need?

  
  


“How can you kiss my knee better? I don’t think that’s in our physiotherapy regime.”

 

“I was thinking of kissing a bit higher, but whatever gets you off,” Jenko says and his mouth’s got a familiar twist to it, smugly gloating about a great piece of banter. It makes something warm  and expectant curl in the pit of Chambo’s stomach.

  
  


“Shutting up now.”

  
  
  


*

  
  
  


Chambo gets into the habit of reading over Jenko’s shoulder after that, even bullies Jenko into retweeting something or the other because Chambo’s too lazy to find his phone. It’s nice, having an excuse to stick his head on Jenko’s shoulder or tuck in close to watch his fingers move as he types on the tiny buttons. Still, Jenko’s got a way of surprising him sometimes.

  
  


“Did you change your relationship status on facebook?” There it is, black on white on Jenko’s personal facebook account. From ‘single’ to ‘in a relationship’. Chambo’s caught up in a brief moment of overwhelming jealousy, because he’s got no idea where Jenko’s been hiding a girlfriend all this time when Chambo’s been over pretty much always, until he’s hit with the realization. He’s leaning into Jenko’s side on the couch. Their injured knees are propped up on identical pillows on Jenko’s coffee table. They were making out some fifteen minutes ago. 

  
  


There’s no girlfriend. Just Chambo.

  
  


“I...kind of. Was I not supposed to?” Jenko stutters, suddenly looking caught.

  
  


“I...I dunno.” And then they spend what feels like an age, staring at each other in silence, because they haven't actually  _ talked  _ about this, they just sort of fell into it, because Jenko came back and they were both injured and it had been so good to see each other when they met at the physio, like they'd never been apart. 

  
  


And then Chambo had just followed Jenko to his flat (no stairs, not like Chambo's) and just...hadn't left. They're a week in now, or maybe two, navigating each other's space with braces and crutches and turns on massage machines, and it's just good. 

  
  


It's better than it's been, ever, like their edges have just been waiting to slot back together again.

  
  


And now Jenko's turned his private facebook's status to 'in a relationship'.

  
  


“I can say that 'it's complicated' if you want.” Jenko offers tentatively and Chambo shakes his head quietly. He doesn’t want that.

  
  


“Well, but that would be lying wouldn't it?” He says, searching Jenko’s face. 

  
  


Because it's not complicated at all. It's the easiest thing in the world. 

  
  


“Wouldn't be the first time we lied on social media.” 

  
  


“Is this about that time you said you liked Citroen cars on twitter and then told me you thought they looked like plastic Barbie cars?” 

  
  


“You aren't a Citroen car, Chambo.” Jenko says it so seriously, like he’s imparting a real wisdom, and Chambo just blinks at him for a moment, because last time he checked he didn’t have any wheels or a motor so he’s got no idea what the fuck Jenko’s on about.

  
  


“Oh,” he says, then, “Wait, what is that even supposed to mean? I know you were going for some profound statement here but I’m sorry Jenk, you lost me.”

  
  


“You're a dumbass, Chambo.” Jenko buries his head into his hands, but he’s smiling.

  
  


“Hey!” Chambo protests, but Jenko looks up and there’s something in his eyes that steals some of the air from his lungs.

  
  


“But you're my dumbass. Is that okay?” Jenko says, gently, like he’s still afraid Chambo might spook (and he’d never admit it, but he’s not entirely off base with his concern).

  
  


Chambo nods, slowly. Reaches out to take his phone from where it’s lodged under the cushions.

  
  


“...send me a facebook request. If we’re going official we might as well do it right,” Chambo says, almost shyly. “Unless you think Steve will mind?”

  
  


Jenko shakes his head and his grin is ridiculous.

  
  


“You know my da’s been calling you ‘son’ for ages. He keeps asking when you’ll come to dinner.”

  
  


“Yeah?” Chambo asks, fitting back to Jenko’s side, ducking his head to hide his own ridiculous grin, feeling Jenko nod against his hair, press a kiss against the curls.

  
  
  


*

  
  


“Hey, Jenko, let's take a gross PDA selfie and post it in the team’s Whatsapp chat. Flam and Mesut do it all the time.”

  
  


“Good idea. It’ll give Calum a bit of respite.”

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> The idea is that they had a casual thing before Jenko went on loan, and now it's just rekindled, but stronger, and Jenko's changed his relationship status because he's figured that at this point, Chambo is it for him and he won't be looking for anyone else, even if he and Chambo haven't really talked about it and he doesn't know if Chambo even wants to be serious. He's just sure of his own feelings.  
> Steve is 'Desertstorm Steve' aka Jenko's dad. The Arsenal senior squad have a Whatsapp group, and I'm not saying they make fun of Calum a lot, but they probably make fun of him a lot.
> 
> Thank you for reading!


End file.
